Wetonka family takes steps to remember son who died hours after birth

April 06, 2013|By Calvin Men, calvinmen@aberdeennews.com

American News Photo by John Davis

Jackie Kessler doesn't want to anyone to forget about her son, Jacob.

Her son died two hours after he was born on June 11, 2011, from a chromosome defect called Trisomy 13. She knew about the defect while he was in the womb and knew that he only had a 25 percent chance of survival.

“It was very hard,” she said.

Though the time with her son was short, Kessler found meaning in their brief meeting, she said.

“Even though he was only here for a short time, I want to help people to know that he was here for a reason,” she said.

That reason was to help other families and their children, she said.

On April 20, Kessler, her husband, Justin, and their two daughters, Chancey and Charlee, will be the ambassador family for March for Babies in Aberdeen. The March for Babies event is part of the March of Dimes, a national organization aimed at helping mothers have full-term pregnancies and aiding research of birth defects.

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"I just want to raise money so that we can create awareness and do research and so other people don't have to lose a child or have a child with a birth defect," Kessler said.

As the ambassadors, the Kessler family will share their story and how their family struggled with the grief of losing a son, said Carla Thielbar, community director for the March of Dimes office in Sioux Falls.

"She's had such an inspirational story," Thielbar said. "It's always these moms who have the biggest loss and make the biggest impact."

Thielbar met Kessler and her family through another mother, Tanya Shafer, who was an ambassador in 2012. Shafer and Kessler are in a group called Mothers of Angels, which crafts care baskets for mothers who have miscarriages or lost children.

When Kessler was contacted about being an ambassador family, she wanted to share her son's story.

"We want to take the step for Jacob that he never got to take and raise money so other families don't have to go through what we went through," Kessler said.

So far, the family has raised $700 through donations and other sales, Kessler said.

Not every family is comfortable telling their story, which is why Thielbar met with Kessler in person.

"Our short meeting turned into a couple of hours of just talking about Jacob and kids and the hope for the future," Thielbar said. "It was a really easy conversation to have."

Conversations and stories are things an ambassador family needs, Thielbar said, as the family usually becomes a voice and face for the event.

Kessler summed it up this way: “I just want people to come out and join our team and walk or donate. It's all about healthy babies and March of Dimes can help anyone. You never know when you might need their help.”

How to help

For information or to make a donation, contact Jackie Kessler 605-216-2234 or http://bit.ly/10GaGkp.